Herring was one of just a fraction of members to receive a memorandum of understanding that outlined details of the transaction. The document still left her confused about how the arts center will benefit, among other questions, she said.

"Who knows what's really going to happen," she said. "There's been this effort to say nothing's going to change … but that's not the wording in the memo."

Herring was unable to explain her concerns because she was required to sign a non-disclosure agreement in order to receive the memorandum. The Daily Press was denied a copy of the document and access to the members-only meeting.

Under the merger, the university will acquire all of PFAC's assets, but the center will be self-supporting without funding from the university for its operating budget, according to PFAC and CNU officials.

There are no changes to the building, classes or exhibits expected in the immediate future, but the goal is to move the center to a proposed multi-million-dollar facility on CNU's campus by 2017, according to CNU President Paul Trible. The new center would be funded through a joint capital campaign using public and private funds, he said. The state has awarded $100,000 to the university for pre-planning of the project, he said.

Trible said the goal is to add to what is being offered, not to take away from current PFAC classes or exhibits.

"The purpose of our joining forces is to do a whole a lot more and to do it better," Trible said.

PFAC Executive Director Courtney Gardner said the new facility will save the center from making costly capital improvements needed for the existing building. The HVAC system was last replaced in 1989, she said, and some of the wiring dates back to the 1930s. She said the center has a $50,000 surplus it will use for immediate repairs, such as replacing broken air conditioners and leaks in the roof. But she said they've put off other needed improvements because they weren't able to afford it.

But, she said, the primary financial force behind the merger is that its board knew it would not survive if CNU built its own visual arts facility.

"We would be competing against each other," she said.

Gardner said when they learned of CNU's plans, former Newport News Mayor Joe S. Frank posed the question: "Do you think you could survive with them building an arts center so close to you?"

She said her answer was, "no."

Members who talked to the Daily Press after Monday's meeting said they understood the financial factor, but wished there was another way. Some said the way the merger was handled, which appeared secretive, incited concerns that promises to not change classes or personnel would not be kept.

Member Angela Herring said she felt many agreed to the merger without ample information to cast a vote. Members weren't offered a copy of the memorandum in the letter they received notifying them of the proposal and they weren't offered a copy at the meeting. It was frustrating, she said, because she wasn't able to discuss the contents of the memorandum with other members who hadn't signed the non-disclosure agreement.

"People were basically voting blindly," she said.

Herring said she was one of a few who spoke against the proposal during a 60-minute comment period. She said she was concerned that many didn't know they could speak; a sign-up sheet was lost in the crowd as members flowed in.

PFAC's Gardner said she thinks the letter and emails gave members ample notice to ask questions and participate in the meeting, and she was disappointed by the response. Of the 940 households that received letters notifying them of the meeting, about 30 asked for the memorandum, but that was after the Daily Press had run a story about the proposal.

"Until you ran the article, two people had called," she said.

Gardner said 231 people attended Monday's meeting. "We've never had an annual meeting with that many people," she said.